Four years after the collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, families of victims continue to seek answers and accountability. The ongoing investigation into the disaster, which killed 98 people, has surpassed $40 million in costs and is expected to take longer than probes into both the Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse in 2018 and the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.
Martin Langesfeld, who lost his sister and brother-in-law in the collapse, addressed Surfside commissioners on Tuesday. “It’s been four years, 98 dead. And there’s no answers and no accountability,” he said.
Langesfeld’s comments came shortly after the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) presented its preliminary findings on the incident. According to investigators, evidence indicates that the collapse began at the pool deck, which started caving in at least seven minutes before the main tower fell. NIST officials reported that the pool deck’s design did not meet code requirements and slab reinforcements were not installed as designed. Most construction joints lacked steel reinforcement dowels, while concrete “keys” were either missing or improperly built. Glenn Bell from NIST explained that these deficiencies may have allowed water intrusion, leading to corrosion and cracking of structural elements.
Additional problems at Champlain Towers South emerged before the tragedy. Investigators noted a video showing water pouring into the underground garage hours before the building collapsed. In prior weeks, residents had reported a jammed gate between decks and a sliding glass door coming off its tracks. Many of these issues occurred near locations where construction joints were found to be defective.
NIST originally anticipated releasing its final report this year but now plans to submit draft reports next year. “We share the public’s desire to have answers,” said NIST’s Judith Mitrani-Reiser, “and what we can do to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”
The agency stated it had warned early on about the complexity of this investigation due to “the lack of any obvious cause, such as a fire or plane crash.”
Family members say delays have added frustration and pain to their loss. Langesfeld emphasized that understanding what happened is important for condo residents’ safety throughout Florida but called for those responsible for construction failures at Champlain Towers South to be held accountable: “This tragedy requires criminal accountability. Who developed and constructed this building? Who approved this building? There are many potential parties that must be investigated,” he told town commissioners. “This was not a natural disaster, this was not a hurricane. This was a preventable human error.”
In other real estate news from Miami Beach and Palm Beach: Michael Shvo recently sold one development site close to its loan value but continues efforts to retain control over his Raleigh assemblage; John Sculley, former Apple CEO, sold an oceanfront Palm Beach estate for $37 million; JDS Development Group and Terra purchased Bikini Hostel as part of a $120 million waterfront project; an oceanfront mansion listed for $65 million in Palm Beach last sold for $25.5 million five years ago; Douglas Elliman agent Darin Tansey died last week at age 50; commercial broker Danny Zelonker also passed away recently at age 75.
